Father's Blood
by eyecanread
Summary: What if Sesshomaru had come across InuYasha in the fifty years he was pinned to the tree?


Disclaimer: I own no claim to InuYasha or the characters. I receive no compensation for my writing.

**A/N: This is one of those musings that prickle my mind from time to time. One of those "what if" scenarios. What if Sesshomaru had come upon InuYasha in those fifty years he was bound to the tree. What would he have done? What would he have thought?**

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Father's Blood

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Sesshomaru sniffed the air. "InuYasha," the word slipped his lips unbidden. Familiar feelings of animosity rose in his chest. He resented the whelp for robbing him of the chance to finally prove himself the greatest conqueror. Truthfully it was their father's fault for getting himself killed prematurely, but that didn't dissuade his redirected anger.

The smell of his half-brother filled these woods, and faintly the nearby village as well. "So this is where he has been hiding himself." Sesshomaru moved in gliding steps in the direction of his prey.

Sesshomaru had heard the rumor that his wayward sibling had become entangled with a local priestess. Disgraceful. How low could he possibly drag the family down?

He caught a glimpse of red through the trees and he slowed his pace. He didn't want to alert InuYasha to his presence just yet. First he would see what the boy was up to.

The moonlight filtering through the trees didn't offer much light, but not much was needed for this demon's eyes. Sesshomaru paused at the treeline to get a view of ahead. When he did he scarcely could believe his eyes.

InuYasha appeared asleep as he stood in front of a tree. On closer inspection the half demon wasn't asleep, he was enchanted from an arrow protruding from his chest. Sesshomaru found himself in front of the tree in a blink. This was an interesting development to be sure.

The elder walked around the tree, noting the vine growth. He must have been in this predicament for at least twenty years if the foliage was any indication. Had it been that long since he'd seen his sibling?

What is twenty, if not fifty, years to a demon that lives through the centuries?

He shook his head as he came once more to face InuYasha. "You are a fool," he growled out in a low voice. The boy had obviously been reckless, much like the sire he'd never met. How ironic. A human woman had been both their downfalls.

Sesshomaru reached out a hand to the arrow and wasn't surprised to find a barrier. He had no wish to disturb the spell anyway, he was merely curious. What InuYasha had done to himself was his own problem, he had no intention of helping the whelp.

The only thing that bothered the great lord was that now he wouldn't be able to kill the disgrace. Striking down an unconscious opponent was far beneath him. If InuYasha ever were released... well that was a different story, he'd come down on him like the wrath of the gods. Not that the boy stood much of a chance, conscious or not.

The moon broke over the treeline behind him bathing the two figures in its dim blue glow. Sesshomaru stared at his half-brother as he pondered, this was the closest he'd gotten to him and he took this opportunity to study him more closely.

If InuYasha had been awake Sesshomaru was sure some form of foul drivel would be spewing out of his mouth right about now, along with feeble attempts to battle. Sesshomaru shook his head, the boy was woefully predictable and utterly obnoxious.

The current western lord pursed his lips. Maybe this priestess had done the world a favor by pinning the oaf to a tree. Perhaps he should thank her.

Not even if he were drunk.

Sesshomaru went back to his observations. InuYasha shared none of the skin markings inherent in their family, a weakness of blood perhaps. His face had a youthful look to it which he hadn't really taken notice of before. He didn't resemble himself or their father in his face so he presumed he took after his human mother in that respect. The two things they did share hereditary traits for were the golden eyes and white hair, though his tresses seemed courser than Sesshomaru's own.

His eyes drifted upwards. InuYasha's ears sat still upon his head. In battle or in simple verbal sparing matches the elder remembered those ears twitching and turning, alert to every sound. To see them still like this was new, different. At the very least he could get a better look at them.

They were the ears of a pup, as if InuYasha were trapped somewhere between the canine form and the humanoid. There were few half-demons and fewer yet from dog demons, as far as Sesshomaru could recall InuYasha was the only living.

A strange curiosity swept over the demon lord, and since he wasn't one to deny himself he acted upon that curiosity. Sesshomaru reached up with a clawed hand and brushed InuYasha's bangs. As he predicted the hair was courser and thicker than his own. His hand continued up and he caressed the nearest ear between his fingers. Interesting. The skin was like velvet and the hair on the appendages soft and baby-fine. He wondered if InuYasha was sensitive there.

His curiosity abated Sesshomaru let his arm drop to his side. He took in a silent breath and let it out slowly. He took a step back.

"You, the bane of our family, have no right to carry our great and terrible father's blood. If you ever find yourself extricated from this tree, little brother, I will kill you." He turned to walk back into the trees. "Goodbye, InuYasha."

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**A/N: Let me know what you think.**


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